1. U. S. Government

2. U. S. Constitution
Established the institutions of the national government
Defined the lines between the powers of national and state governments
Provided a written law and gave the Supreme Court the power to interpret the law
Guaranteed basic rights

3. Popular Sovereignty Rule by the people
Majority rules, but the rights of the minority must be recognized

4. Federalism: The Division of Powers
Reserved Powers
States
Delegated Powers
National
Concurrent Powers Both
Declare war
Negotiate treaties
Issue Money
Regulate trade
Maintain military
Regulate education
Police & fire protection
Regulate sale of property within the state
Levy taxes
Define crime & punishment
Voting qualifications
Borrow money

5. Separation of Powers Carry out laws Make laws Interpret laws
Legislative Power
Executive Power
Judicial Power
Carry out laws
Make laws
Interpret laws

6. Checks and Balances Legislative Branch
Propose amendment to overturn decision, establish lower court, impeach and remove, reject presidential appointment
Override veto, reject treaties and presidential appointments, impeach and remove
Judicial Branch
Executive Branch

7. Checks and Balances Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Veto laws, recommend laws, make treaties & foreign policy
Grant pardons and paroles, appoint federal judges
Judicial Branch
Executive Branch

8. Checks and Balances Judicial Branch
Legislative Branch
Judicial Branch
Decide if law is constitutional
Judicial Branch
Executive Branch
Decide if President’s actions are constitutional, interpret treaties

9. Limited Government To coin money To make treaties To tax Imports
Powers Denied to Both Federal and State Government
Powers Denied to the Federal Government
Powers Denied to the State Governments
To spend money w/o Congressional approval
To give preference to one state over another
To tax exports
To deny person “due process of law”
To grant titles of nobility
To coin money
To make treaties
To tax Imports
To tax the federal government

10. Many hats of the President
Chief of State
Ceremonial duties, represents the United States
Chief Executive
Carries out laws, runs bureaucracy, and submits a yearly budget to Congress
Commander in Chief
Commands all U.S. armed forces
Many hats of the President
Foreign Policy Chief
Receive ambassadors and heads of state
Makes foreign policy
Makes treaties
Picks U.S. ambassadors
Political Party Chief
Head of his political party; has influence over party members
Chief Legislator
Recommends bills, vetoes or signs bills

11. CONGRESS: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SENATE
Total # of members
435
100
Based upon population
# for each state
Two from each state
Length of terms
6 years
2 years
Conducts impeachment trials, approve Presidential appointments, ratifies treaties
Introduce spending bills, selects President if electoral college doesn’t
Special Powers

12. How A Bill Becomes A Law
Bill is introduced; spending bills must start in the House of Representative
Bill is sent to a committee; can be changed, approved or killed
Bill sent to floor where Congress debates it. Can be killed,or approved. It then goes to a committee in the other house
After passing committee of other house, debated on that floor -- killed or approved

13. How A Bill Becomes A Law
President can sign the bill, making it a law, veto the bill, pocket veto (less than 10 days left in the session) or refuse to sign and it still becomes law (more than 10 days still left in the session)
If both houses pass a different version of bill, a conference committee must get rid of difference then the bill must be approve by both houses. It then goes to the President.
Congress can override a veto with 2/3 vote and the bill will still become a law

14. U.S. SUPREME COURT State Appellate Courts Special Courts
State Supreme Courts
Special Courts
Military, Claims
U.S. Court of Appeals
Higher State Courts
U.S. District Courts
Trial Courts
General Trial Courts
Federal Agencies
City, traffic, small claims courts
ROUTE OF APPEALS

15. Judicial Review
The power of the courts to determine whether a law passed by Congress or an action taken by the President is constitutional.
Courts also decide whether a law applies to a certain case

16. Amendments Freedom of speech and press Freedom of religion4 1
Freedom of speech and press
Freedom of religion
Right to criticize the government
Right to petition the government
Right to peaceably assemble
Protects from unreasonable search and seizure
A search warrant must be obtained (some exceptions)
Right to privacy

17. Amendments 5 6
No person can lose his/her life, liberty or property w/o due process of law
An indictment by a grand jury is required for federal criminal proceedings
No person can be tried for the same crime twice (double jeopardy)
Guarantees a fair trial for those accused of a crime
Right to know what charges have been made against you
Right to face your accusers
Right to a trial by jury
Right to legal representation
Right to legal representation even if you can’t afford it

18. Amendments Courts cannot require unreasonable bail8 14
Courts cannot require unreasonable bail
No cruel and unusual punishment
States must follow the same due process rules when searching, arresting or trying a person for a crime
States must provide equal protection to all citizens

19. Summary of Key Decisions of the Supreme Court
Marbury v. Madison (1803) Established the Court’s power to declare laws unconstitutional
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) Reaffirmed the supremacy of federal law over state laws
Schenck v. U.S. (1919) Limited a person’s right to free speech if it presents a “clear and present danger”
Mapp v. Ohio (1961) Evidence taken by state police in an unreasonable search cannot be used at trial
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)A state must provide a free lawyer if the defendant cannot afford one
Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Person in custody must be informed of their constitutional rights
Roe v. Wade (1973) Women have the right to an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) States can segregate blacks from whites if the facilities are equal
Brown v. Board of Ed. (1954) Overturned Plessy; segregated public schools are “inherently unequal”